Valentine's Day 2014

Valentine's day

Is Valentine's Day a day to celebrate love and romance, another excuse to splurge, indulge, enrich the coffers of the gift shops and florists or a day to quietly reflect on what love really means?

I gathered some pearls of wisdom, albeit some quirky ones, from friends and family about how they knew their partners loved them.

Henry Heng:

Someone changed the facebook to "got engaged."

It was like being married publicly.

 

Lim Su Min, ever the romantic:

At a dinner for two one day, I served my wife an unpeeled mandarin.

As she opened it she was perturbed to find a piece of plastic inside, but on further peeling and closer inspection she found a small folded plastic envelope with a diamond brooch inside!

 

Doris Kao:

Another day, another year. As long as we are still living under the same roof and staying healthy and happy together with our loved ones, I consider this as love.

 

Shirlee Poel:

My man is not romantic, but i appreciate everyday gestures more than harping on that one day.

In the middle of the night when I am asleep and my blanket is askew he gently pulls the covers over me, I know that is love.

Moments like these are more meaningful to me than running around in a mad panic because someone forgot to buy flowers or show their appreciation with whatever they can drum up because things have become so commercialised these days.

 

Nikki Jack:

He must love me because he leaves the toilet seat down (!)

 

Helen Ho

What about rushing home to cook because he knows I am tired after work? This is after 36 years of marriage!

 

Susan Huey

My birthday is on February 16 and my boyfriend (now ex) sent me a single red rose on February 15  as a late Valentine's/early birthday present. 

Of course the cheapskate did not last long.

I reckon the most romantic gifts of all have been when partners have sent flowers or anonymous notes outside of the Valentine's season, on the spur of the moment – when they felt the urge to be romantic, rather than when retailers tell them it is time to act.

 

The last word is from Pearl Bird.

Pearl said each time she received flowers from her boyfriend (now husband), she has been flat on her back in hospital.

When they were first going out, she realised he was more practical than romantic.

He would buy her something she needed, like a bookcase when her pile of books was toppling over, a steering wheel cover when she bought a car, never something just beautiful, but in his eyes, not useful.

Only when she was hospitalised with appendicitis did he first buy her a bunch of flowers to cheer her up.

The next time was when she was in hospital again, having their first baby. He sent her a dozen red roses with a note that said,"Thank you for a job well done!"

She felt a real sense of achievement.

A few years later when she was due to give birth to their second child, Pearl remarked on something she had read in the newspaper.

A new business was promoting its gift baskets, called Baskets of Love, to celebrate happy events and not only were the baskets filled with flowers, but also nuts and fruits.

"I hope I get one of those," Pearl said, "because most of my friends will be sending flowers."

Her husband said nothing, but almost as soon as her baby was delivered, so was the basket, brimming with lovely flowers, fresh fruits and nuts.

Much as she longed to, Pearl couldn't eat them immediately as she was recovering from the Caeserean operation.

Well, guess what?

When hubby visited her and the new bub later, he was armed with a fruit knife and he promptly chose a luscious peach and tucked into it with gusto!

40 years on, they are still married, so maybe she got to eat some fruit after all!

Happy Valentine's Day!